//------------------------------// // Over the Edge // Story: Once Monsters // by SkycatcherEQ //------------------------------// The morning sun filtering through the drapes stirred Sunset back to life. She was thankful for a precious few hours of undisturbed sleep. Having showered and prepared her morning coffee and buttered toast, she sat on the bed to finish getting ready for the first Monday of winter break. After pulling up her boots, Sunset noticed her phone still lying on the bed from the night before. She picked it up and placed it back on the nightstand beside her magic journal. Her eyebrows rose as a realization struck her. Twilight.... maybe there is something I can do here. Opening the book, she clicked the pen from her backpack and set to writing. I have a question, Twilight, if you have some time. I wonder if you could help me with a bit of magic theory. Had you and Celestia ever talked about Dream Prophecy when you were studying with her? Or better yet, has it ever come up in your talks with Luna since her return? Sunset left to brush her teeth. She found the book vibrating on her bed when she returned, and opened it to Twilight’s response. That is something we covered during my teaching, albeit briefly—if by ‘Dream Prophecy’ you mean certain events or feelings from a dream lining up with seeming ‘coincidences’ during the days that follow. And unfortunately, no. I haven’t actually sought many opportunities to talk with Luna. Maybe something in my subconscious still finds her a bit intimidating, even though I know that’s just silly. I really should make some time to talk with her, though. So thank you for putting that thought in my head. And there I go rambling again, sorry. Why do you ask? Sunset hastily penned her reply. That’s it, yes. And well… I’m wondering if it could actually happen on this side of the portal. I mean, I am from Equestria. And the other girls and I still have some of that residual magic inside us. I'd expect my connection to it to be stronger than theirs, even. And since I’m sure you’re going to ask—yes, something like that has been happening lately. It’s starting to scare me, Twilight, because it involves visions of that… monster I turned into last year when I put on your crown. To think something like that could ever happen again? It just gives me chills. Twilight’s words appeared quickly, in turn. Hmm. I’ll admit I haven’t given as much thought as I should have, to what degree different magics can cross over. We know that—on some level—the magic of Harmony still functions there. And then the sirens also retained some degree of their power after crossing over. Is there anything more you can tell me about the dream itself or what other signs you’ve been seeing? Sunset paused for half a minute. Just how much was she willing to worry Twilight with the nature of these concerns? Or worse, to expose her own vulnerability? Twice she hovered the pen over the page and lifted it again, before finally touching it down on the third try. I’m not comfortable enough yet to talk about it. Sorry, Twi. I was just hoping you might have some insight on the nature of the magic itself. But it sounds like we’re both at a dead end here, huh? After a few moments, Twilight’s ever-precise letters began to appear again. Yeah. Sorry I can’t be more help. But still, I’d say it’s too great a possibility to ignore. Especially if it’s troubling you as much as it seems to be. I’ll bring it up with Luna soon. In the meantime though, you should probably take care, Sunset. This seems like one of those cases where ‘better safe than sorry’ is good advice. And I’ll be here, if or when you feel like going into more detail. Sunset let out a defeated sigh. I’ll let you know. Thanks again, Twilight. She gently closed the cover on the book and returned it to her nightstand. Closing her eyes, she placed a hand on top of it. That’s what I was afraid of. And it is true that those three had retained a frightening amount of their power on this side of the portal. She let out another long breath. Is it really too much to ask for more than a few weeks of happiness before each new crisis? Sunset reflected for a few moments on yesterday's band practice and then opened her eyes. She smiled softly, picked up her phone and dialed Rainbow Dash. “I need to at least take care of this. Maybe there’s still some hope.” She paced around the room as the phone rang worryingly close to voicemail before finally answering. “Hello?” “Oh, hey… Fluttershy. I thought I dialed Rainbow’s number.” “Oh, uhm, yes. You did. I just have her phone right now.” “Ahh…” I wonder if they’re all there… Doesn’t matter. Just push through it, Sunset. “Well do you know if she’s alright? I still feel terrible about what I did yesterday.” “I... think it hurt her pride more than anything. And it kind of scared us all a little. What about you? Is everything okay?” Sunset blew out another long breath. “I don’t know, Fluttershy. I’m actually… I just can’t believe I did that. I still feel sick about it. Do you think she’ll be better in time for your show?” “I think we’ll manage... And speaking of that, there’s someone here who wants to talk to you.” Her voice grew uncharacteristically stern as she finished, followed by a shuffling noise. “H-hey, Sunset.” “Rainbow… I don’t know if you heard me tell Fluttershy... but I really am sorry about yesterday.” “Nah. Look. That was a pretty dick move I pulled back there. So, I guess I kiiiiinda deserved it.” There was a firm Flutter-growl in the background. “Ok, ok. I totally deserved it. I’m sorry, alright? None of us really feel that way about you.” Rainbow let out an exasperated breath. “I thought more about it yesterday. I had to admit that I’ve been jealous of all the attention you get whenever you play with us. But yeah… wasn’t cool for me to let it out like that.” Fluttershy’s voice drifted in from beside the phone. “We all talked about it, and no one is mad at you any more, Sunset. Please don’t be upset. We just really miss you. We've been worried about you.” “Thanks, you guys. But I’m still going to stay away for a while. That still wasn’t okay for me to hit you like that, Rainbow. The thing is, I don’t know what happened back there. I haven’t felt that kind of rage in years. And it’s starting to scare me. I mean, if we were back in Equestria? Who knows… you might be a pile of ash right now. And I’d be locked up somewhere in Tartarus.” She heard Rainbow swallow and give a weak laugh. “I just don’t want to hurt any of you. What if it happens again and I can't control it?” “Yeah. Take some time if you need to. But really—whatever’s going on, you don’t have to do it alone. Cause that’s what we got each other for, right?” Sunset smiled to herself. “I’ll keep that in mind, Rainbow. Talk to you soon, okay? Thanks again for not staying mad at me.” “It’s cool, yeah. Talk to ya later.” Sunset pressed the button and ended the call. Looking at the screen on her phone, she noticed two missed calls from Adagio. When? From the timestamps, it appeared the first was during her morning ride before the library on Saturday. The second was just last night. She took a seat again on the bed, staring down at the phone between her hands. I miss her, too. I miss her so much. She took a slow a breath. But then, given what Twi said—and I agree… Sunset whispered to herself, “I’m sorry ‘Dagi. There’s just so much I don’t know right now. So much could go wrong if these fears end up being true.” But I can’t just shut her out. What if I’m wrong about all of this? After a few more moments of thought, she typed out a text message. ‘Hey. I’m sorry I missed your calls… I just need to take a few days to work through some things here. Don’t be worried. Hope to talk to you soon.’ Sunset briefly considered whether spending so much time with the ex-sirens could have exposed her to some trace of their old influence. Could some residual effect of their magic—even if subconscious—be sparking this irritability and bringing her latent rage back to the surface? I can’t keep dwelling on this—I’ll drive myself crazy. Convincing herself that her side-projects presented quite a lot of work to make up, she loaded her backpack and finished getting ready to head into town. *** Following a day of moderately productive project work at her favorite coffee shop, Sunset strolled down the Main Street sidewalk on her way home. With her apartment only a mile and a half from the cafe, the brisk early-evening air made for a refreshing walk. A glow of warmth amid the frosted cityscape caught Sunset’s eye across the street. “Oh, wow. That’s new.” She trotted across to join the sparse crowd which had gathered around a roaring community fire pit. If she hadn’t just finished her third refill at the coffee shop, the elderly hot-chocolate vendor might have scored another sale. Instead, she simply returned his smile and then lifted her hands to the fire. Sunset grinned warmly to herself and closed her eyes. Adagio would like this, too. As if on cue, a gust of wind blew past and chilled the back of her legs. She opened her eyes with an exasperated sigh. Seriously? You can’t even give me this one little moment? Sunset tried to refocus her thoughts on the warmth of the fire. After a few more minutes of willing herself to relax, she readjusted her backpack and made her way back across the street to resume the walk home. While she was crossing, her phone rang. At the sight of Adagio’s number, she hovered her thumb above the button for a few moments, before finally answering and bringing the phone to her ear. “Hey, you.” Adagio's voice was quiet. Sullen. “Sunset. Hi.” After a few moments of silence, she continued, “How have you been? We haven’t heard from you in a few days. And when you didn’t pick up either of my calls…” “I’m sorry, yeah. Didn’t mean to worry you.” “The text did help, though. So thanks for that.” Sunset glanced down to avoid the curb as she finished crossing the street. Looking up again, she found herself before a large storefront window. The fire pit across the street behind her was clearly visible in the glass. Her mind staggered momentarily as the orange glow wreathed her reflection in flames. The darkened glass around the edge of the window seemed to stretch and fade until it filled Sunset’s periphery. She watched as the flames darkened her skin to a familiar reddish hue. Her eyes went black, and a jagged grin crept onto her face. “—unset…” “ Sunset?” Sunset pressed her eyes closed and shook her head a few times, nearly dropping her phone. Looking up at the window again, her reflection appeared as it always had. What in the world is going on? She cleared her throat. “Ugh, sorry. I think I almost drifted off there—I still haven’t slept well the last few nights and I think it's messing with my head. I’m so tired, Adagio.” She let out a defeated breath. “Can I just talk to you later?” “Sunset, wait.” “What is it?” “You’ve been so distant the last few days. We're worried about you. Would you… want to come out to dinner with Aria and Sonata and myself tonight? I’d just like to see you. I’m thinking Kingston’s, even.” Sunset could hear her grinning over the phone. “My treat?” Sunset took a deep breath and closed her eyes. I should give this one more try. I owe her that much. I’d feel terrible giving up on her if this really is just all in my head. Besides… heh. She knows I do love that place. “Alright, sure. But like I said, I’m sort of in sleep-dep mode right now, so I can’t guarantee how lively I’ll be. Does seven sound good?” “It does. See you then, Sunset.” *** Running a few minutes late, Sunset pulled up a block from the restaurant, which was not quite a mile from the Dazzlings’ modest house on the edge of town. Despite being one of the higher-priced destinations in the city, its crowd overflowed nightly to the seating on the outdoor patio. It was there that she found Adagio, Aria and Sonata already enjoying their drinks. As Sunset made her way to their table, Adagio stood and met her with a warm hug. “Sunset. I’m glad you could make it.” She could feel Adagio’s smile as their cheeks met before pulling back. Sunset sat down facing the restaurant windows, with her back to the street and Adagio sitting to her right. “It is good to see you guys. And sorry. I’ve just… had a lot going on these last couple days.” “I suppose we all know that feeling,” Adagio replied, as she watched the wine swirling in her glass. “I got you some water to start with, but you're welcome to order something else when he comes back.” “I think I’m fine with this.” She looked around the table at the three of them, and then took in the warmth that this little oasis offered against the dark of the winter evening. With a long breath, she relaxed in her chair. “This is nice, guys. Thanks.” Adagio placed a hand over Sunset’s and rubbed her thumb back and forth with another smile. “Hmm. I’m glad.” Three candles warmed the center of each table on the patio, and a number of gas heating lamps lined the waist-high fence at its perimeter. It seemed the restaurant ownership was determined to retain their outdoor seating in spite of the snow dusting the ground this time of year. When the waiter returned, the four of them placed their orders. Following a round of light conversation, their food arrived. After some time spent eating, it was Sonata who finally brought up the topic Sunset had been dreading. “So... what’s been going on the last few days?” Sunset nearly choked at the direct, unfiltered question. After swallowing, she wiped her mouth with her napkin. “Sorry, Sonata. Maybe later. It’s just something I’d rather not get into right now.” Looking around the table, she returned Sonata’s innocent smile with one of her own. “I’d just like to enjoy this with you guys tonight.” Adagio “hmm”d comfortably. “I can understand that. And I agree, this is nice. It is good to see you again, Sunset.” As they continued eating, the conversation returned to matters of work and to stories of their various creative pursuits. While waiting for the check, Adagio suggested that Aria and Sonata go around the corner and pick up a cheesecake for back at the house. “We’ll meet you guys there in a bit.” Aria raised a suspicious eyebrow. “We get to pick which flavor?” Adagio nodded while absorbed in some activity on her phone. “You’re on.” With a devious grin, she and Sonata stood quickly and made their way toward the confectioner a few blocks away. As they left, the waiter set the check down in front of Adagio. She gave him a light wave and went back to tapping. Sunset crossed her arms and looked down. Should I go back to their place again? She just sort of assumed and didn’t even ask. But… this evening really has been nice so far. I probably am just being ridiculous with all these worries, right? Still, though… A camera flash from Adagio’s phone startled Sunset, and she tensed up in her seat. When she looked up, Adagio was wearing a playful grin. “Figured that’d get your attention. You spaced out again, silly.” Adagio scooted her chair closer and put an arm around Sunset. She leaned her head in—almost cheek to cheek—and held her phone so they could both see the picture. “So serious…” Sunset forced a smile and a half-hearted laugh, but then closed her eyes and took a breath. A cold breeze whipped down the street behind them, chilling her lower back through her coat. Adagio was leaning in so close, however, that her hair provided some shelter for Sunset’s shoulders. She turned and brushed her nose against Sunset’s cheek. She’s so warm. She’s always so warm. And this feels so good. Sunset lifted her eyes again and smiled softly. “WaaooOOO! Bad bitches gettin’ busy!” A male voice chided them from across the street. But by the time they pulled apart and turned to look, all Sunset could see were two hooded CHS sweatshirts walking into the shadows beyond the street lights. She felt Adagio’s arm tense up around her and saw the knuckles on her other hand go white as she gripped the edge of the table. Looking up to her eyes, Sunset saw her glaring death at the shadows while growling “Oh, you’ll get yours…” “Adagio…” Adagio grumbled something, turned around and crossed her arms. “Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a few minutes of my old power right now.” She then laughed and looked Sunset hard in the eyes. “And just imagine what you could have done to those two. Oh, the things I heard.” She grinned and raised an eyebrow. “Tempting, eh?” Please don’t. Sunset wrapped her arms around herself, shivered and hunched down. Adagio leaned in and put her arm around Sunset again. The smell of wine on her breath was something Sunset might have chuckled about under other circumstances, but with everything that had happened the last few days, she instead found it rather unsettling. Adagio shook her head with a light laugh while running a slow finger along Sunset’s leg. Seductively, she said, “Oh come on. You can’t tell me that didn’t at least cross your mind.” No… This can’t be happening. Sunset jerked away and shot to her feet, tears swelling at the edges of her eyes. “Just what are you trying to do?!” With a bewildered look, Adagio uncrossed her legs and stood up. “Sunset? What’s... gotten into you? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Sunset stumbled back, turned around and began hurriedly walking away, glancing back over her shoulder every few seconds. She saw Adagio toss a single bill from her purse onto the table and start after her. As Adagio caught up beside Sunset, she reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. Sunset jerked away and spun back to face her. “I’m not going back! I won’t let you take me.” Adagio froze mid-motion and lowered her arms. “...what?” “I watched what you did to Trixie and the others in the cafeteria. A... tempting touch here, a seductive word there. It doesn't matter how sexy and powerful you make it sound; that part of me is dead! And I want her to stay that way. I don’t ever want to see her hideous red face again!” “Sunset....” Sunset wrapped her arms around herself and huddled over, rocking forward and back. The nightmares. Oh, dear Celestia, the nightmares. And then all of the signs. She pressed her eyes closed. “Whatever power you still have, I won’t let you wake up that darkness again inside me.” “Sunset Shimmer.” The sudden maternal tone shook Sunset out of her swirl of thoughts and she looked up. Adagio raised a hand to the space below her neck. “Where is all of this coming from? You don’t honestly believe any of that.” Sunset closed her eyes and tightened the grip around her arms as a creeping guilt paralyzed her voice. She suddenly wanted to turn invisible, or to shrink into nothing. To be anywhere but here. “Oh dear god,” Adagio gasped. “You do.” When Sunset turned back to face her, she was met with a breathless wide-eyed look. “Adagio. I…” There were so many things Sunset’s mind was screaming at her to say. No. I’m sorry. I really don’t believe any of that. Your friendship is so important to me. I want you to be a part of my life. But as each new thought arose, the sandstorm of doubt and fear choked the words in her throat, and the pained look of betrayal darkened across Adagio’s face. Bristling with anger, Adagio narrowed her eyes and dug into a pocket on her jeans. “Well you know what?!” She fished out a small object and flung it at Sunset, striking her square in the chest. “Take a good long look at that!” Wrapping her arms around herself and blinking back tears, she started forward and clipped Sunset with her shoulder as she sidestepped past. “And ‘fuck you’ too.” The words slammed Sunset in the gut. Gasping, she turned and took a half step, reaching a hand out after Adagio—but then surrendered and let it fall back to her side. Adagio shook with a sob as she hurried away. Sunset watched her lift a sleeve to her eyes before rounding the corner. And then silence. The fog from Sunset’s breath lingered under the cold street lights. When she turned and bent down to retrieve what Adagio had thrown, both her hand and her breathing stopped short. Lying in the snow between her earlier footprints was a thin strip of black satin strung through an empty gold clasp. Sunset’s legs gave out and she dropped hard to her knees. The delusions dancing through her head crashed to the ground like shattered mirrors. “Oh, dear Celestia…” She picked up the broken necklace and clutched it to her chest. “What did I just do?” Sunset’s thoughts began racing as she frantically bit her lip. Ignoring the snow soaking through her jeans, she fumbled inside her jacket pocket, pulled out her phone and dialed. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. “Please…” … … “Sunset, dear? How are you?” Hunching forward again, she choked out a sob and cried, “I need your help.”